SATURDAY shoppers using the Westgate multi-storey car park, Oxford, face a 50 per cent increase in charges next year.

The city council says it wants to ease the problems of weekend gridlock and pollution, by persuading drivers to use the park-and-ride or switch to bus services.

The Oxford Times has been told of plans by the authority's ruling Liberal Democrat group to raise parking tariffs by half on Saturdays only.

If agreed, a two-hour stay next year would end up costing £4.50 instead of £3, while a four-hour stay would cost £9 instead of the current £6.

Westgate has been singled out because it is the city's most popular car park.

City councillor Jean Fooks, executive member for a cleaner city, said: "Saturday is pretty ghastly, car parks can't cope and it seems to me we should be encouraging people to use public transport.

"It's not a case that we are anti-shopper and I hope people will see the environmental sense - it's not a congestion charge, but it's akin to that."

The county council has made on-street parking free during the evenings and on Sundays and parking at County Hall park-and-ride sites (Thornhill and Water Eaton) costs nothing.

On the other hand, the city council continues to charge people for using park-and-ride sites (Seacourt, Redbridge and Pear Tree).

Charges at the city council's five sites (Westgate, Oxpens, Worcester Street, Gloucester Green and St Clement's) have already increased by 20 per cent in the past year.

City councillor Stephen Tall, executive member for better finances, said: "Saturdays are the busiest days for parking in the Westgate car park.

"On most Saturdays, the car park is full and traffic backs up on to Thames Street.

"A special Saturday tariff - at Westgate only - is proposed at a higher rate than other days.

"We hope this will encourage more use of park-and-ride.

"We will review charges across the city park-and-ride sites to see if we can encourage the public to travel in this more environmentally-friendly way."

Labour group leader Bob Price said: "We have rejected this proposal in our own draft budget.

"It would be a serious blow to the retail sector in Oxford and way out of line with other shopping centres in the region."

Green group leader Craig Simmons added: "It's dangerous for the Lib Dems to rely on generating additional income from the Westgate car park."